Crispy spiced chickpeas With whipped feta and flatbreads
Cumin-and-paprika chickpeas with crisp skins and nutty centres, served over cool, lemony whipped feta with warm flatbreads. Thorough drying and adding the spices late keep the chickpeas crisp without scorching the paprika.
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Servings
Originally developed for 2 servings.
Ingredient checklist
Method
- No timer needed
Heat the oven to 220°C conventional / 200°C fan, with a rack in the upper-middle position. While it heats, drain and rinse the chickpeas, then dry thoroughly in a clean tea towel. Remove loose skins, but do not peel every chickpea. Finely grate the zest from half the lemon, squeeze 10 ml juice from that half and cut the remaining half into wedges. Wash and roughly chop the parsley.
- 15:00
Toss the dried chickpeas on the tray with 20 ml olive oil and the salt. Spread into one uncrowded layer. Roast for 15 minutes, shake the tray, then roast for another 10–15 minutes, until the surfaces look dry and some skins are crisp. If still damp, continue in 5-minute increments before adding the spices. Use two trays if necessary, swapping their shelf positions when shaking; they may need longer.
- No timer needed
While the chickpeas roast, process the crumbled feta, yoghurt, prepared lemon zest and 10 ml lemon juice for 1–2 minutes, scraping down as needed, until smooth and spreadable. Taste before considering any extra seasoning: the feta is already salty. Cover and refrigerate until assembly.
- 05:00
Mix the cumin and paprika with the remaining 5 ml olive oil. Once the chickpeas have dry, crisping surfaces, toss them with this mixture and spread out again. Roast for another 5–7 minutes, checking after 5 minutes: the spices should smell toasted, not acrid. If more cooking is needed, lower the oven to 200°C conventional / 180°C fan to protect the spices.
- 02:00
During the final roast, heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Warm the flatbreads individually for 30–60 seconds per side, until soft and hot, following their packet instructions if different. Keep loosely wrapped in a clean tea towel. Let the finished chickpeas stand uncovered on the tray for 2 minutes; taste one once cool enough. Its skin should be crisp but its centre should not be hard or chalky.
- No timer needed
Spread the cool whipped feta broadly over two plates. Spoon over the hot chickpeas, scatter with the prepared parsley and serve immediately with the warm flatbreads and lemon wedges.
Chef tips
- Roasting times depend on how thoroughly the chickpeas are dried. Extend the unspiced roast rather than exposing the paprika to prolonged high heat.
- If the feta stays grainy, scrape down the processor and blend again. A processor that is too large may not engage this small quantity.
- Keep roasted chickpeas uncovered and separate from the feta until the moment of serving.
Equipment check
- Oven
- Shallow metal baking tray, approximately 30 × 40 cm
- Sieve
- Clean tea towels
- Small food processor, approximately 500–750 ml capacity
- Small bowl and spoon
- Citrus grater and knife
- 24–28 cm frying pan
Tags
Behind the dish.
Overview
This Middle Eastern-inspired main makes two substantial portions using ready-made flatbreads. Aim for crisp chickpea skins with firm, nutty centres rather than completely dried-out chickpeas. A shallow tray, thorough drying and a late coating of spices achieve that contrast with the cool feta.
Ingredient notes
Two 400 g tins should provide about 480 g drained chickpeas; check the drained weight on the labels. Use sweet paprika, not smoked or hot paprika. Choose drained feta made with vegetarian rennet and vegetarian flatbreads.
Thick Greek-style yoghurt keeps the feta spreadable. If using ordinary natural yoghurt, start with 60 g rather than 100 g and add only enough to loosen the cheese. A small processor works best; finely mashing and beating by hand gives a more textured spread.
Contains milk and usually wheat/gluten; some flatbreads also contain sesame. Check packaging. Gluten-free flatbreads can be substituted, with checks on other packaged ingredients, but this does not remove the milk allergen.
Serving & storage
Assemble immediately before eating: the feta quickly softens the crisp chickpeas. Serve with the warm flatbreads and lemon wedges.
Store leftover chickpeas and feta separately. Cool perishable leftovers promptly in shallow portions and refrigerate within 2 hours at 5°C or colder. Use within 48 hours or freeze sooner. Reheat chickpeas only once, at 200°C conventional / 180°C fan for approximately 8–12 minutes, until steaming hot throughout; serve the feta cold. Follow any shorter storage limit on the bread packaging.
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